The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-02
AT BENT'S OLD FORT.

For more than 800 long, toilsome miles,
from the busting town of Westport on the
Missouri to the royal city of New Spain,
Stretched the old Santa Fe trail AT its in
itial point on the great, muddy river there
usually a gathering of men, cattle and
wagons, for the making up of the numer-
Gus trains soon to be dotted along its whole
lem tn, steadily marching westward or
resting at Council Grove, Pawnee Fork.
the Cmarron Crossing, or Las Vegas Now.
however, all was strangely quiet at West
port AMI along the trail. No long proces-
sior5 of white topped wagons lighted up the
yellow ish green buffal, grass no crack OF
WHIP nor merry wagoner's song sounded
along tie banks of the river, no smoke OF
camp fire rose in the clear air A great
change had come over the old Santa Fe
trail, for it was July. 1916, and wal with
Me=i, o had been declared, and waiting in
New Spain were not eager buyers of mer-
chandise, but warlike parties ready, as re-
ported, to welcome the Gringos with
b.oaly hanis to hOspitable graves.
Not wholly deserted, however, by any
means was the great route along the tor
tuous course of the Arkansas: for on IL
was marching the finest Army of the
West under Gen. Stephen kearney
Starting from Fort Leavenworth and max
ing their way with much difficulty over
the rough country between that point and
the trail they-the staff, the regulars
Infantry dragons and two batteries, and
the famed list regiment of Missouri cavlary
had passed. Pawnee Fork and were con
centrating point not far from the
Junction of the Timpas river with the
Arkansas. Near this point, too, and ON the
left hank. was the fort owned by, and
named tor, one of the family of Bent,
those celebrated frOntiersmen and trap
WA IN structure.
a,lotpn. with large central Enclosure and
rude accommodations for Inan and beast
10 was nearly sunset on or near the 18th
day of July when u detachment of DOM
phan's regiment, with headquarters staff.
halted for the night beyond the big tim
ber," oI grove of large cottonwood trees
where the valley opens out and the river
banks slope gently down To it. days
marc, cast of the fort. a group of officers
gathered around the camp fire, and sat
waiting for their supper. Ere long one of
the surgeons joined them, lighting his pipe
he took the seat
How the sick men, doctor" asked
The major.
The cneineer officer is better but still
very weak" replied the surgeon; the
lieutenant OF cavlary is worse, and fear
la cannot last long "
Poor fellow calculated the major
''Ue IL god and brave man. 1t is
hard for hii, to die here, and of miser-
able fever, T. shot has been fired
llore than one heart will ache in st. Louis
when they GO he news of his ending
Can nothing b, --Jne sor him.
''l,Othih%,'i sid the doctor ''He Is
quito unconscious, .,ul will probably pass
quietly away during the night, and with
out coming To himself >
so 1t was; and at sunset next day the
Pawneesi and Comanches lounging about
the entrance to Bent's fort heard the vol
leys of tho firing party, and then saw the
little detachment maI ching at n rapid gate
back to the camp. Outside, and close
under the walls of the fort at the north
W.. 1T corner, and among the graves of not a
few traders, trappers, and also rutfian>,
who had "died with their boot, on " was a
simple Leadboard placed, on which was IN
- ItJ,.,l